Overview
CUPA-HR (College and University Professional Association for Human Resources) supports over 43,000 members from 1,800 higher education institutions. Known for its dynamic, people-first community, CUPA-HR hosts two signature national events each year, a Spring Conference and a larger Annual Conference, to connect HR professionals across campuses.
When their longtime third-party event management partner exited the space, CUPA-HR needed to act quickly. With a lean internal team and a high-touch exhibitor model, the organization looked for a solution that could simplify logistics while continuing to deliver high-quality experience for sponsors and attendees. They chose A2Z Events to meet that need.
The Challenge
For years, CUPA-HR relied on an outside vendor to manage exhibitor logistics including floor plans, booth assignments, and support. When that partner dissolved, CUPA-HR had to bring the entire process in-house on short notice. “I suddenly became the one-person team managing everything our third-party used to handle,” said Kaylee Gilbert, Manager of Corporate Partner Engagement. “From sponsorships to booth logistics to support, it was all on me. We needed technology that could carry the load.”
With events ranging from 35 to 100 booths and attendance between 500 and 1,600, CUPA-HR needed a centralized exhibitor management platform, simple and effective staff badge registration, compatibility with their new AMS, and consistent, responsive support during peak planning times.
The Solution
CUPA-HR implemented A2Z Events ahead of their 2025 Spring Conference, using Exhibitor Registration for booth and sponsorship sales, Staff Badge Registration via Registration Tech, the Exhibitor Hub for task management and communications, and hands-on support from a dedicated A2Z Events account manager. Gilbert’s prior experience working with exhibitor software made the vetting process more efficient. “We didn’t do a formal RFP, but I had a shortlist and knew what we needed. A2Z Events checked all the boxes, especially when it came to integration and ease of use,” she said.
The Results
A Strong Debut for Spring Conference
The first event using A2Z Events, CUPA-HR’s 2025 Spring Conference, was a success: over 400 higher education professionals attended, with 34 exhibiting companies and 110 corporate representatives. There were 30 concurrent sessions, three keynotes, and all meal functions were hosted in the expo hall to encourage engagement. “The vibe at our events is high-energy, collaborative, and community-driven,” Gilbert said. “We bring people together in meaningful ways, and A2Z Events helped us deliver that. The Exhibitor Hub made it easy for everyone to stay on track.”
An Efficient Exhibitor Experience
The CUPA-HR team saw a significant drop in basic exhibitor support requests. “Once exhibitors logged in, they knew what to do. It really cut down on the back-and-forth,” said Gilbert. “The platform helped us be more self-sufficient and saved me a lot of time.”
Excellent Support from the A2Z Events Team
Gilbert praised her A2Z Events account manager for the guidance and availability throughout the process. “Jennifer was fantastic, Gilbert explained. “She answered every question and helped me troubleshoot when needed. Having that level of support made all the difference.”
Areas for Growth and Key Learnings
As with any new implementation, CUPA-HR gained valuable insights during their first use of A2Z Events. These takeaways are shaping how they prepare for their next event:
Refining Financial Reporting
CUPA-HR’s internal workflows benefit from having order and payment data in a single view. “We realized we needed a more streamlined way to look at our numbers,” said Gilbert. “We’re working with the team at A2Z Events to find the right setup for our accounting needs.”
Segmented Email Communications
To meet their unique communication needs, CUPA-HR chose to export contact lists and use external tools for certain targeted messages, such as reminders for companies with outstanding balances. The flexibility to work outside the platform where needed complemented A2Z Events’ built-in email capabilities and gave CUPA-HR more control over their outreach cadence.
Improving Self-Service Tools
As part of their internal review, CUPA-HR recognized an opportunity to streamline how exhibitors manage team registrations. Many exhibitors rely on a single point of contact to register multiple staff, so offering more visibility into submitted registrations is a feature CUPA-HR is interested in exploring for future events.
Streamlining Onsite Registration
The team also identified opportunities to improve the onsite experience for exhibitors who hadn’t finalized their registrations in advance. These learnings are helping CUPA-HR refine pre-event instructions and ensure they have the right permissions and tools configured to handle onsite needs quickly and efficiently.
These learnings are helping the CUPA-HR team enhance their internal planning, build out stronger workflows, and get even more out of the A2Z Events platform.
Looking Ahead to the Annual Conference
CUPA-HR’s Annual Conference, scheduled for October, is significantly larger, with 1,200 to 1,400 higher education attendees, 100 booths, 320 corporate representatives, and 60 concurrent sessions. “The stakes are higher for this one, so we’re applying everything we learned this spring,” Gilbert said. She also noted the importance of starting earlier and providing her team with additional support. “We’re excited to keep building on what we’ve started. A2Z Events is a key part of that.”
Conclusion
CUPA-HR successfully transitioned from relying on a third-party vendor to managing exhibitor operations in-house, supported by A2Z Events. The Spring Conference demonstrated that even with limited internal resources, the right technology and team can deliver a professional, engaging experience. With their Annual Conference on the horizon and contracts extending through 2026, CUPA-HR is well-positioned to keep improving and scaling its events.
“A2Z Events helped us navigate a major shift,” Gilbert said. “We’re more confident, more capable, and ready for what’s next.”
